After irth

In February, I book a domestic flight for the 2nd week of April. Cancelled it March 27 once it looked like it wasn't gonna happen. Just called and rebooked the same trip for mid-August with no issue and $120 cheaper. If that helps. Good luck!

Anywhere in between those two spectrums...and I’ll consider it a win...ha!

I get it. I totally do. Not everyone lives in Bexar, Travis, Harris, and Dallas counties, though. Doesn’t mean we’re not doing our part. Doesn’t mean we’re not ready. Doesn’t mean we haven’t been ready for 3 months now. But still...just sayin. No saturation here. Yet. Maybe.

We haven’t exactly seen “saturation of hospital resources” here. Yet. You...?

Thought this was interesting. Seems like a big middle finger from the medical establishment. Released late on a Friday. I wonder how many other systems react or what the response will be come Monday. https://www.christushealth.org/santa-rosa/about/news/covid-19

Lufkin, TX, Monday grocery run. Hardly any masks, even from store employees. Let’s be kind and say 15% Today: 90% total. Employees and customers. I went ahead and bought some ice cream because it probably hadn’t been licked yet.

Exercising a bit of drunken optimism: Rebooked a cancelled April trip from IAH-ATL for August. Not like I really have any tourist plans. Just going to support a very recently divorced buddy and trying to stay true to my word to come help him reset his life. Also booked a Jamaica trip for February. Provided I live to be 50, I wanna wake up on that day, hung over on a beach, with someone bouncing on my dick while my wife (no pics) takes pics. Or...something like that. Will work out the specifics later.....

I always follow that with, “Hate me because I’m better than you.” Always be closing...

I wish I did. I miss it here.

Didn’t we ALL join this site in 2018?

Well, yes...isn’t that obvious? Thank you for noticing.

Sounds like some of you critical Surly bastards need to start producing your own Q. I don’t go out for BBQ. If I want amazing smoked meats, I stay home. <insert “fuck you, jobu, I do it myself” meme here>

Damn...some real armchair BBQ quarterbacking going on here. The Surly name totally checks out.

San Antonio trip is a mixed bag so far. After some misbehaving on Tuesday, and a very hungover 300-mile drive on Wednesday, we made it to the Sheraton Gunter by 2pm. There’s hardly anyone here, and, although we have a nice, quiet corner room, it’s not the usual suite we normally receive. I guess status means nothing this month. I suspect they have everyone on the same floor. Their Marketplace is closed, along with Bar 414, the only room service is breakfast, and they only do housekeeping by request and appointment thru the front desk. Everything around the Riverwalk is as clean as I’ve ever seen it. Beautiful. Ducks everywhere, tons of fish in the clear water. Maintenance crews patrolling regularly and tons of spot cleaning happening everywhere. The weather is amazing, and it’s a real treat to just stroll along without the usual crowds. Reminds me of just how unique this place is when it’s not jampacked with idiots. The majority of places are still closed, however, including just about all of our favorite places. Signs of remodeling everywhere, with some of the places scrambling to finish so they can reopen in the next week or two. I imagine by July, there will be a lot more activity going on. The places that are open are easy to spot because people are lounging in the shade, grabbing cocktails, and seem every bit as happy to just hang out as we are. We’re not the only tourists here, and we’ve exchanged a lot of knowing nods and hellos with a few couples who are doing the same thing we are: wandering aimlessly looking for places to spend money and misbehave. We took pics for a couple here for the first time from Illinois, and I thought that was encouraging from a tourism standpoint. They didn’t seem paranoid or overly cautious and just seemed damn glad to be here. I share their feeling. We’ve encountered some outright paranoia as well. Some store fronts, cafes, and restaurants will flat out refuse you if you come in the door without a mask. Wearing a mask in a bar/restaurant seems like the most ludicrous requirement ever, but...whatever. We’re in the city, our options are limited, and I’ve refrained from telling people to fuck off thus far. We had maragaritas by the patio at Agave and spent time socializing with the bartender who was all too happy to have customers to entertain. We wandered Rivercenter Mall, just because we were happy to be out hiking, which was extremely mellow. And basically did the entire horseshoe, twice, with more drinking involved to complete the 2nd lap Wife (no pics) has a spa day at Mokara, but their spa/sauna/shower areas are closed (even though they told her Monday they would be open), so she won’t be getting the full service pampering and amenities they normally offer, even though their fees will probably still be the same. Bait-and-switch bastards. We have reservations at Bohanan’s tonight, so, hopefully, dinner will be just fine. Will be purposely early so we can swill some brown liquor for a bit (I’m a Bourbon guy, wife is a Single-Malt snob) I was gonna hit Hogwild Records today, but they remain unapologetically closed to foot traffic by owners choice. Phone orders and shipping only. That’s really fucking annoying Tomorrow might be kinda strange. Not really choices, but, rather a lack of options. I don’t really wanna pull the car out and invade the town, but we might hike/Uber to either Southtown or Pearl and see what’s going on there on a Friday. There’s no Riverwalk Jazz going on, our favorite Irish places are closed. Paesanos, Acenar, Mexican Manhattan, and Blanco Cafe are all open, as well as our favorite coffee bar, so we won’t starve. Ah well...it was supposed to be a mellow rejuvenating trip anyway, which I guess it is. And we still have an sold-out concert on Saturday to look forward to. As beautiful and tranquil as it all is, it’s somehow kinda sad too. Which is weird. I hate people using the term “the new normal”, but I’m beginning to get a taste of it, and understand why they use it now, even though they’re dumbasses. Like I said: a mixed bag.

I appreciate the rec, but Cappy’s won’t reopen for another week. Mon Ami is open, though. Cheers!

I’ve been buying Ryno Anejo lately.

Maybe he knew something we don’t. https://www.ktre.com/2020/06/09/army-analyst-family-members-found-dead-possible-murder-suicide-texas/

Breaking news: No tortillas for Seguin. HEB is (once again) on fire. Consequently, it is also (once again), you guessed it...not open.

This thread lay dormant for a month and got bumped to page 2. Speaks volumes about the past month and all the surliness happening out there. Bit of a mellow, quiet morning in the After-life here. Sipping some excellent coffee at dawn. The sprinklers come on, and I am immediately grateful for all that I have. I already knew we were buying a quality house when we moved in a year ago, but I’m not used to having some of the seamless amenities that we have here: sprinkler system, whole-house generator, alarm system, pre-wired sound, etc. I thought we were living well in SWFL before we came to our senses and came back home to TX. Even though the piney woods is a far cry from what I’m used to, I marvel at what a damn good decision it all has been. It’s the little things that make up the whole package, ya know? Hell, I don’t need to be a 1%er, but being a 2%er ain’t too shabby...ha! Happy Monday, ya flithy animals.

I’m not much of a tequila drinker, but I keep some good stuff stocked for guests or cocktails or whatever. One for mixin’, one for sippin’. Your post inspired me to finally investigate this Ranch Water thing. Picked up some limes, some Topo. It has been glorious. For the past month, it has been the perfect Summer sippin’ especially with the heat coming on. Already had to go buy more Tequila (and limes, and Topo). Thanks for the push. And salud!

Haven’t terrorized SA since January 2018, and THAT agenda involved my parents’ 50th, so the wife (no pics) and I are happy to come back and raise some hell our way. Anniversary trip for us. Like most people, we haven’t left our own town in 3 months, but we thought we would give it a shot. When I saw that Wade Bowen is playing Freiheit on the 13th in an acoustic, table-purchase-only performance, I set wheels in motion. Glad I did, because it is sold out So...for the 3 nights before the show, a room at The Gunter, a full Mokara spa day for my girl, Bohanan’s reservations, and whatever the hell else we can find that’s open. I might hit Jacala one last time before things change, and I’d love to hit Hogwild if they decide to reopen. Other than that, just gonna wing it and enjoy. I have a feeling we probably should’ve waited a few more weeks for such a trip, but night 4 in New Braunfels will be a great anniversary treat for my girl before heading home on the 14th. ‘Rona and racism be damned. 300 mile journey starts Wednesday morn. I expect to be having something frosty in my hand at Mexican Manhattan and ordering lunch by 1pm.

It’s not difficult to predict, and I’m betting the local news announced it. There’s a storm in the Gulf. It’s gonna push water. Tide is gonna come. Bit of a no-brainer, but, then again, I also grew up there.

These will be people that will curse their dealer when their undercarriage rusts out in 6 months, and they will be oblivious to what could have caused such a thing.

Same here. Possibility for an early August trip here. Or just shitcan it for next year...?

I look forward to a review.